As some of you know, I now nanny (basically a glorified babysitter) until I leave for the Race in January. For those of you who didn’t know, I now nanny until I leave for the Race in January. I am super blessed to be working full-time (FT) for an awesome family here in Tulsa!!
Before I got this FT gig, I was part-time with another family, babysitting my nephews (Bryce – 9 & Bhody – 4), giving hitting lessons, etc., and BEFORE before that, I was on track to get my teaching certification to become a 5th grade reading teacher – but we’ll get more into that story in a future post.
Alright, so as a nanny/babysitter I can without a doubt say that I’ve watched Boss Baby (or “Baby and the Boss,” as Bhody likes to call it) and Moana a minimum of 50 times each. You think I’m kidding, you clearly don’t follow my Instagram stories. Okay okay, maybe I’m the one who’s requested Moana, but that’s not the point… jk yeah it is. I’ve been realizing more and more how much I relate to her character…
A little synopsis of Moana [if you haven’t seen it and are planning to (I suggest you do), proceed with caution because there may be spoilers ahead; if you have seen it skip ahead]:
Moana is a strong, adventurous, Polynesian girl, living on an island (Motu Nui), who’s called by the Ocean for this grand purpose – we’ll call it a “mission”. So she embarks on this mission across the sea to restore the heart of Te Fiti (the island Goddess and creator), which was stolen by a demigod hundreds of years before. Once she restores the heart of Te Fiti, her island and her people will be saved and she will become Chief (because she’s next in line, not because she saved the island). Slight caveat, her father is the current Chief and he’s forbade anyone from venturing past the reef – meaning they use what the island provides, BUT the island is starting to fall apart because of this whole heart situation. Consequently, and against her father’s wishes, Moana goes on this mission the Ocean assigns to her, with only the support of the Village Crazy Lady – who also happens to be her late Grandmother, and kinda her mom – who helps her pack her boat. Oh, and a chicken. Other than that, Moana is faced with dozens of obstacles before & during this adventure, doesn’t having the support of all her family, and experiences plenty of powers working against her.
So we watched the movie (if my amazing synopsis hasn’t driven you to see it, idk what to tell ya) and it made us laugh and cry; laugh some more, cry some more. We rejoiced in the end when Moana restores the heart & saves her people. And applaud the writers for a great script where the hero is female, her own “knight in shining armor,” and saves her family & people.
The movie ends up grossing over $600 million worldwide, we took our kids to see it, we bought it, we watched it 50+ times on Netflix!!
Thanks for the #funfacts, Paige… what’s your point?
Well, remember how I said I resonate with the character? This all got me thinking…
I’ve been that girl who’s yearned for adventure, struggled to find my place, and fought back against what people told me I should be doing. I’ve finally come to this place in my life where all the pieces fit together – especially when I think about, talk about, or plan about the Race.
Why then does it seem insurmountable to raise $18,000 to do it? Why is it so hard to explain how MY “Ocean” would call me to a far away place to help restore hearts & people? Why does my message seem to get lost in translation when I talk about it?
My theory? Aside from the obvious, controversial differences surrounding religion? I would say Disney has built up this long-standing reputation of magic, excitement, and friendship; I mean, Disney himself may not have been the best of people, but he did bring out the best in people. Disney brought, and continues to bring, dreams to life. He’s created memories that will last a lifetime. People travel from all over to experience the wonder of the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
So, I believe it is my job to make the World Race’s reputation more widely known. I need to share more about what they have done, what they are doing, and what they will continue to do for years to come. I need to cast out any doubts or misconceptions about what I have been called to do.
This week I’ll post about how I came to learn about the Race and what we’ll be doing in our first country – Cote d’ivoire. In weeks following, I’ll highlight each country so as to create more awareness, understanding, and build a foundation for people in my circles to feel the magic behind this mission. To show dreams that came to life. To feature lifelong memories made.
In weeks following I challenge you to think outside the box a bit. Give me a chance to show you more about what I’m passionate about. And maybe it’ll help you to love people that don’t look like, act like, believe like, vote like or talk like you. Will you join me?
If you’ve made it this far, I applaud you & thanks for reading. Hit subscribe for updates so you don’t miss out. Comment if you have questions or would like me to cover something specific in my upcoming blogs. Donate if you feel moved to do so. Pray if that’s your thing. Send good vibes always. I thank each and everyone of you for your love & support however that looks to you – I couldn’t do it without ya. Thanks and much love! Xoxo
